On their side, thepro-Russian separatists claim that five Ukrainian soldiers defending the last redoubt in the city have laid down their arms and that 140 civilians have been evacuated.
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A timid advance in Mariupol. A deal “preliminary” was found with Russia on a humanitarian corridor to evacuate “women, children and the elderly” from the besieged port in southeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced on Telegram on Wednesday, April 20. The corridor is established towards the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhya (south).
“Given the catastrophic situation in Mariupol, we are focusing our efforts in this direction today”highlighted Irina Vereshchuk. No evacuation corridor had been set up in Ukraine since Saturday, for lack of agreement with the Russians who have intensified their strikes in eastern Ukraine in recent days.
“At least 200,000 people” on site
“We very much hope, of course, that this evacuation will finally take place because it is so necessary”underlines on franceinfo Cécile Coudriou, president of Amnesty International France. “The situation is completely catastrophic in Mariupol. Lack of food, clean water, care and indeed, vulnerable people”she continues, estimating “at least 200,000 people” again in Mariupol.
For their part, pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country claim that five Ukrainian soldiers entrenched in the Azovstal metallurgical complex, the last pocket of resistance, have laid down their arms and that 140 civilians have been evacuated. Claims that cannot be independently verified.